LOVERE

LOVERE’s distinctive lime-green smart bins are now a familiar sight to residents living in parts of Chengdu and Xi’an in China, and their innovative technology is helping users separate their trash more effectively.

The number of bins installed in the two cities rose to 3,007 in 2024, representing a major step forward in the company's goal to increase recycling rates from 15 to 35 per cent by 2030 in these cities.

The bins do more than just offer a receptacle for recyclables though. Shanghai-based LOVERE has pioneered an innovative plastics recycling system that incentivises residents by providing micropayments directly into their WeChat account for their recycling efforts—the popular Chinese social media and payments app — in reward for their recycling efforts.

LOVERE’s smart bins are now located in cites throughout China and are available to residents 24-7, collectively servicing millions of people who have had to adapt to new waste classification rules in cities like Shanghai. LOVERE smooths the process with self-service smart bins that analyse plastic waste deposits.

Started in 2019, the LOVERE project is part of China’s Internet Plus Recycling strategy, which leverages digital technology to develop new collection models for recyclables — integrating recovery, collection, sorting, and distribution. At the core of the system are AI-powered smart cameras that classify each deposited item based on its weight and shape to determine its recyclability. If a resident makes an incorrect deposit, LOVERE can even follow up via their WeChat account to explain which items the system can accept. This direct feedback loop has proven effective, with approximately 90 per cent of materials collected being properly recycled.

This technology-driven approach to recycling education and promotion is yielding strong results for LOVERE, which processes over 679,000 tonnes of household recyclable each year in China

By the first quarter of 2024, LOVERE started repaying interest on loans from the Alliance, signalling the recycling project's transition toward financial sustainability. The target of installing 3,000 smart bins across Chengdu and Xi’an was achieved despite some challenging conditions, including the lingering impacts of China's Zero Covid policy in 2022 and urban renovation projects in downtown Chengdu.

A major milestone on the plastics processing front was the launch of LOVERE’s new sorting centre in Xi’an, complementing its Chengdu facility, which began operations in late 2023. These centres are central toLOVERE’s growing capacity, allowing it to process more recyclable materials as operations expand into additional districts.

The sorting centres serve as sophisticated waste management hubs where collected materials are separated into as many as 80 individual streams before being sold to recycling companies.

In addition to expanding capacity, LOVERE made important safety and infrastructure improvements to existing facilities in 2024, including upgrades to firefighting systems. These enhancements ensure that operations meet high standards for worker safety and environmental protection.

While the Alliance-funded project focused on Chengdu and Xi’an, LOVERE’s innovative business model has already scaled nationwide—now operating in approximately 32 cities with a network of around 20,000 intelligent recycling machines.

LOVERE continues to work toward its ultimate target in partnering with the Alliance to recycle 50,000 tonnes of plastic by 2030. The completion of the business-to-consumer (B2C) infrastructure in 2024 sets the stage for ramping up the business-to-business (B2B) model, which will engage office buildings, hotels, and other commercial partners.